I’m sharing my Easy Shrimp Ceviche with a simple trick for perfect results whether you use raw or cooked shrimp, and it’s ideal for serving with tortilla chips or adding to tacos.
I call this my Easy Shrimp Ceviche because its one of those dishes that looks fancy but takes almost no time. I use shrimp and fresh lime juice, and that bright lime flavor makes every bite sing.
I kept tweaking it till it felt wrong to serve anything else at backyard hangs, its loud, a little brash and totally refreshing. I get weirdly proud when people ask for it, like I smuggled summer in a bowl.
If youre scrolling Refreshing Summer Recipes, give this a try, you wont believe how fast it becomes the thing everyone asks for.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Lean protein low fat, it’s slightly sweet and gives a nice chewy bite
- Lime: High vitamin C adds bright tangy sour, it ‘cooks’ raw shrimp fast
- Tomato: Hydrating vitamin rich, gives mild sweetness and juicy texture to balance acid
- Avocado: Creamy healthy fats, boosts richness and silky mouthfeel, very filling
- Red onion: Sharp bite adds crunch and pungency, good contrast but softens with lime
- Cilantro: Fresh herb, citrusy bright notes, adds green aroma, some people hate it
- Jalapeno: Optional heat, adds spice without too much smoke, seeds up the kick
- Cucumber: Crisp cooling, lots of water, tames pepper heat and adds fresh crunch
- Olive oil: Optional oil, adds silkiness and smooth body to ceviche, use sparingly
- Tortilla chips: Crunchy vehicle salty contrast, perfect for scooping and casual sharing
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 pound (450 g) shrimp, raw peeled and deveined or cooked and chopped
- 1 cup fresh lime juice about 6 to 8 limes
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice optional
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes seeded and diced about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 small red onion finely diced about 1/2 cup
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper seeded and finely chopped optional for heat
- 1 medium cucumber peeled seeded and diced optional
- 1 ripe avocado diced optional
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil optional
- Tortilla chips or tostadas for serving optional
How to Make this
1. If using raw shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces and place in a nonreactive bowl, pour 1 cup fresh lime juice (and 1/4 cup orange juice if using) over shrimp so it’s mostly covered; use very fresh or previously frozen shrimp. If using cooked shrimp, chop and add the citrus but only briefly so it doesn’t turn rubbery.
2. For raw shrimp let it “cook” in the citrus until opaque and firm, about 20 to 30 minutes for medium shrimp; cooked shrimp only needs 10 to 15 minutes to absorb flavor. You’ll know it’s done when the shrimp is white/pink and springy.
3. While the shrimp marinates, seed and dice 2 Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups), finely dice 1 small red onion (about 1/2 cup), seed and finely chop 1 jalapeno or serrano if you want heat, peel/seed and dice 1 medium cucumber if using, and chop 1/2 cup fresh cilantro.
4. Dice 1 ripe avocado and toss it with a little lime juice to slow browning; keep it in the fridge until just before serving so it stays firm.
5. After the shrimp is ready, drain off most of the citrus but leave a couple tablespoons for flavor; too much juice will make the ceviche watery.
6. In a large bowl combine the shrimp, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, and cilantro. Add the reserved lime/orange juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if using. Mix gently so you don’t mash the tomatoes or avocado later.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning — more salt, pepper, or a squeeze more lime if needed. Chill the mixture 10 to 20 minutes so the flavors marry, but don’t over chill if you used cooked shrimp or the texture gets flat.
8. Fold in the diced avocado right before serving so it stays fresh and not mushy.
9. Serve cold with tortilla chips or on tostadas. Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but texture and avocado color will decline, so try to eat it the same day.
Equipment Needed
1. Large nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless) for marinating and mixing
2. 1 cup measuring cup and measuring spoons, for lime orange and seasonings
3. Citrus juicer or hand reamer that’ll speed up juicing
4. Sharp chef’s knife for chopping shrimp, tomatoes, onion, cilantro etc
5. Cutting board, preferably plastic for easy cleanup
6. Fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon to drain most of the citrus
7. Rubber spatula or large spoon to gently fold ingredients together
8. Serving bowl plus tortilla chips or tostadas for serving, dont forget to chill the bowl a bit if you want it extra cold
FAQ
Shrimp Ceviche Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Shrimp: swap with firm white fish like tilapia, cod or halibut (bite sized), bay scallops, or cooked crab/lobster for a richer ceviche.
- Lime juice: use fresh lemon juice for similar tang, grapefruit juice for a sweeter note, or a splash of white wine vinegar diluted with water if you’re out of citrus.
- Red onion: try thinly sliced shallot for milder flavor, sweet Vidalia or white onion, or chopped green onions for a fresher bite.
- Avocado: replace with diced mango or papaya for sweet creaminess, hearts of palm or extra cucumber for crunch, or skip it and stir in mashed avocado just before serving.
Pro Tips
1) Pick the shrimp right and handle it like it’s delicate. Use very fresh or previously frozen shrimp, thawed in the fridge. If you cure raw shrimp, use a glass or stainless bowl not aluminum or copper, and when the shrimp looks done drain most of the citrus off so the ceviche isnt soupy. Never reuse the marinade as a sauce unless you boil it first.
2) Keep veggies from watering everything down. Seed tomatoes and cucumbers and pat them dry on a paper towel before adding. If your tomatoes are extra juicy, let them sit in a strainer for 10 minutes so they shed some liquid, that’ll keep the ceviche from getting watered out.
3) Time and texture matter. If you used raw shrimp let the citrus do the work for 20 to 30 minutes, but if you used pre-cooked shrimp only marinate 10 to 15 minutes or the texture gets rubbery. Fold avocado in at the very last minute and toss it with a little lime juice first so it stays firmer and doesnt turn brown.
4) Final flavor fix and safety quick hacks. Taste and adjust salt and acid at the end, a little extra lime can save a bland batch. Wear gloves when chopping hot peppers or wash hands right away, and store leftovers in the fridge up to 24 hours only — refresh with a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro before eating.
Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
I’m sharing my Easy Shrimp Ceviche with a simple trick for perfect results whether you use raw or cooked shrimp, and it’s ideal for serving with tortilla chips or adding to tacos.
4
servings
246
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless) for marinating and mixing
2. 1 cup measuring cup and measuring spoons, for lime orange and seasonings
3. Citrus juicer or hand reamer that’ll speed up juicing
4. Sharp chef’s knife for chopping shrimp, tomatoes, onion, cilantro etc
5. Cutting board, preferably plastic for easy cleanup
6. Fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon to drain most of the citrus
7. Rubber spatula or large spoon to gently fold ingredients together
8. Serving bowl plus tortilla chips or tostadas for serving, dont forget to chill the bowl a bit if you want it extra cold
Ingredients
1 pound (450 g) shrimp, raw peeled and deveined or cooked and chopped
1 cup fresh lime juice about 6 to 8 limes
1/4 cup fresh orange juice optional
2 medium Roma tomatoes seeded and diced about 1 1/2 cups
1 small red onion finely diced about 1/2 cup
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper seeded and finely chopped optional for heat
1 medium cucumber peeled seeded and diced optional
1 ripe avocado diced optional
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil optional
Tortilla chips or tostadas for serving optional
Directions
- If using raw shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces and place in a nonreactive bowl, pour 1 cup fresh lime juice (and 1/4 cup orange juice if using) over shrimp so it's mostly covered; use very fresh or previously frozen shrimp. If using cooked shrimp, chop and add the citrus but only briefly so it doesn't turn rubbery.
- For raw shrimp let it "cook" in the citrus until opaque and firm, about 20 to 30 minutes for medium shrimp; cooked shrimp only needs 10 to 15 minutes to absorb flavor. You'll know it's done when the shrimp is white/pink and springy.
- While the shrimp marinates, seed and dice 2 Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups), finely dice 1 small red onion (about 1/2 cup), seed and finely chop 1 jalapeno or serrano if you want heat, peel/seed and dice 1 medium cucumber if using, and chop 1/2 cup fresh cilantro.
- Dice 1 ripe avocado and toss it with a little lime juice to slow browning; keep it in the fridge until just before serving so it stays firm.
- After the shrimp is ready, drain off most of the citrus but leave a couple tablespoons for flavor; too much juice will make the ceviche watery.
- In a large bowl combine the shrimp, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, and cilantro. Add the reserved lime/orange juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if using. Mix gently so you don't mash the tomatoes or avocado later.
- Taste and adjust seasoning — more salt, pepper, or a squeeze more lime if needed. Chill the mixture 10 to 20 minutes so the flavors marry, but don't over chill if you used cooked shrimp or the texture gets flat.
- Fold in the diced avocado right before serving so it stays fresh and not mushy.
- Serve cold with tortilla chips or on tostadas. Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but texture and avocado color will decline, so try to eat it the same day.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 341g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 246kcal
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.8g
- Monounsaturated: 6g
- Cholesterol: 220mg
- Sodium: 381mg
- Potassium: 568mg
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Sugar: 5.5g
- Protein: 29g
- Vitamin A: 575IU
- Vitamin C: 48mg
- Calcium: 96mg
- Iron: 2.1mg
